North Florida Writer
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Life Around Us
  • Contact
  • MY BOOK PAGE

So What Do We Do Next, Conservatives?

1/13/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture
This has been a tough few weeks for those of us who call ourselves Conservatives.  First we were betrayed by Speaker of the House John Boehner when he conspired with the opposition to jam the Cromnibus Budget through during last month’s lame duck Congress.  Then at the opening of the new session of Congress we were betrayed again by many of those we supported for Congress who violated their campaign pledge to support someone other than Boehner in the Speaker’s election.

This past Thursday night on Conservative Report Radio with Will Stauff we discussed in depth the aftermath of the double betrayal as well as what might be appropriate action going forward.  There are no easy answers to the dilemma but as conservatives we must either continue to fight or surrender.  Surrender is not something that should ever be in the vocabulary of a Conservative.

So we need to decide what each of us can do right now, for the next six months is critical to show our strength and our fortitude for the continuing battle ahead.  We must make it very clear to the RINOs and the Left that we are here to win the hearts and minds of America to a future of freedom in a nation under God.  Sadly, the power structure of the Republican Establishment today thinks it can demoralize us and silence us but in reality they have given us a gift. 

And what is that gift?  Simply put, it’s that we now know for sure that they have great disdain for us and actually want to destroy us.  We need to use this knowledge in formulating everything we do going forward.

Now some may say this statement is an overreach.  But just remember that Mitch McConnell said he would crush us and John Boehner this week said he will punish those who fought against him.  They truly expect conservative legislators to routinely turn their back on the will of their voters, an act which constitutes a violation of trust.

Let’s look at some of the things that we as individuals and in groups can do right now to keep the momentum going and turn up the heat.  They are not complicated but do take a commitment of  time and effort and they are just our first steps going forward.  If effectively done by large numbers of us, the Establishment will finally realize that we will not be marginalized.

1.      Get active in local politics. This is first and foremost. Power in politics begins at the precinct level and though many don’t know it many precincts lack chairpersons, so if you want to get involved there are many opportunities nationwide.

If you want the Republican Party to be conservative, it’s going to take many more local level conservatives to get involved actively in the process.  It’s a forum for speaking your mind and you might be surprised at how many will listen.  Followers are always looking for someone to lead them.

2.      Defund the Republican Establishment.  If the national party is not going to listen to us, why should we fund it?  Instead give your money to specific candidates that you support or to political action committees that push for the things you find important.

Now some will say that this will have no impact because the leadership looks to the big donors for their primary support and yes, to some degree that is true. But when they notice the individual donations drying up while seeing that people are still being vocal and active, it does give them advance notice that the people are rising and they fear that.  And they will certainly notice that when there is internal competition being funded by a large number of small dollar donors they will quickly have to face the music.

The final thing this step will do is to “truly put our money where our mouth is”.  Candidates that support your values and have a verified record of it need and deserve support. Who knows, it just might get some of the recalcitrant among the political class  to wake up and “smell the roses” as well.

3.      Track political records of your key elected officials.  Having the truth on your side is the best way to keep the politicians honest. Whether it be local, state or federal officials it is really quite easy to find out how they have voted and then you can compare their record with what they say.

Remember, all Republicans when running for office use the standard conservative verbal mantra in their campaigns yet many, the majority in fact, violate those statements routinely once elected.  Using websites such as conservativereview.com to monitor voting records, it is easy to separate the “wheat from the chaff” and to help you vote accordingly.  Paying attention and staying informed is truly the game changer we need.

4.      Stay in contact with your elected officials. Let your elected officials know where you stand and do it often. Letters, phone calls and emails are all easy to prepare, they just take a little time. And when your representative is in the area, visit their office or attend their town hall.

The more active you are, politely of course, the more likely they will listen and bring a friend or a group as well. Don’t be bashful; it’s your money they will be spending and then follow up to make sure they deliver what they say they will do.

There is so much going on in legislation these days that you need to devote some time to review regularly what is happening. One suggestion would be to call their office once each week concerning an active issue and let them know what you expect. Don’t be afraid to be emphatic, just be specific and keep it short and polite.

5.      Spread the word.  Tell your friends and recruit others who agree with you and build your own network and stay on top of things. This is what the Tea Party concept was originated for and we must grow the numbers who are doing this.

6.      Support those who support you.  Simply put, don’t forget to support the candidates who support you. Help them and encourage them while still holding them accountable. Just follow Reagan’s trust but verify routine and you can’t go wrong.

It’s not a very long list, is it?  It’s also not very complex but the point is to shift the focus from expecting someone else to do the heavy lifting and to get involved ourselves.  And this is just the first step, for as the Congressional session moves forward we will be facing an upcoming Presidential election, one which will determine whether or not we have done what we need to do.

Think about it.  Do you as Conservatives want another McCain or Romney type of campaign where the opposition is treated with kid gloves while we are getting shellacked?  No, you don’t, and the follow-up discussion which will be forthcoming will talk about what needs to result from our initial efforts.

The fact that we received a surprisingly large number of votes against John Boehner when the deck was stacked and the risks to those brave Congressmen was high is quite an achievement. The Speaker is now on notice and it is highly likely that if he continues to try and neutralize conservatives the uproar against him will grow. 

It’s important that the Republican Party realize the crossroads where it finds itself and respond to the base for they can’t win a national election without us as the last two Presidential cycles have shown.  It’s time for us to hold them accountable.

Just imagine if twenty million conservative voters started following the simple steps listed above?  There is no way that the Republican Party could ignore it. And if they did, and this is certainly a final, hopefully unneeded step, I think the party would die as millions bailed out.

Wouldn’t our getting involved to force a change in direction be preferable both for us and for our country?  Making a third party work is nearly impossible. Let’s see if we can make the current party work for us instead.

Let’s get busy. We’ve got work to do and people to influence.  God bless America.

1 Comment
Pam Forrest
1/23/2015 09:17:20 am

Absolutely correct. Very good article. Thanks.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    ABOUT ME

    Hi, I'm James, a writer who studies nature,  animals and all things created by God. I also write from time to time about what I think God expects of us.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these subjects. I hope you enjoy my comments.

    Archive

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    America
    American Sports
    Animals
    Armed Forces Day
    Conservatism
    Doctorpatient0717615167
    Elections-2016
    Florida
    Florida-politics
    Freedom
    Freedom-of-speech
    Geese
    God
    Gods Glory0546cd6883
    Health Care
    Honor
    Integrity
    Jesus Christ
    Koch-brothers
    Leisure-time
    Love
    Military
    Nature
    Primaries
    Proverbs
    Safety
    Savior
    The Future
    Top-political-donors-list
    Tyrannical-government

    RSS Feed

Thanks for contacting northfloridawriter.com.
Photos used under Creative Commons from Arian Zwegers, trvlto, thomas pix, taberandrew, Justin A. Wilcox, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, ckay, phalinn, curtis palmer, bnpositive, oddsock, HooLengSiong, jespahjoy, illustir, ljlphotography, Out at Bob's, The Labour Party, ljlphotography, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, eli.pousson, JasonParis, Fibonacci Blue, wht_wolf9653, bsabarnowl, ` TheDreamSky, Ken_Hoffman, dsearls, NCinDC, James Byrum, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, cliff1066™, possan, dpape, David Holt London, akeg, Waiting For The Word, Glyn Lowe Photoworks, MilitaryHealth, yukali, infomatique, goforchris, cliff1066™, Wootang01, dctim1, Donald Lee Pardue, LizMarie_AK, campdarby, CedarBendDrive, bill85704, faeparsons, TMAB2003, cliff1066™, Rennett Stowe, KOMUnews, cliff1066™, chris.huggins, USDAgov, mat_walker, gruntzooki, DonkeyHotey, ljlphotography, Elvert Barnes, Paulsasleepwalker, facebook.com/snapshotsofthepast, foto3116, Miller_Center, digitonin, BostonCatholic, Watt_Dabney, jepoirrier, EpicFireworks, derekskey, cletch, DonkeyHotey, KOMUnews, DonkeyHotey, ravensong75, Alan Cleaver, Francisco Diez, hermmermferm, cod_gabriel, Marxchivist, Fibonacci Blue, dbgg1979, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, David Barrie, rjs1322, Just Another Wretch, Keith Laverack, Waiting For The Word, whoohoo120, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, Brett Jordan, yisris, Michael Hodge, Waiting For The Word, MilitaryHealth, doceggman, AlmazUK, taberandrew, cliff1066™, krossbow, shinya, The Jewish Agency for Israel, kudumomo, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, cliff1066™, johntrainor, emilio labrador, cliff1066™, EraPhernalia Vintage . . . (playin' hook-y ;o), **emmar**, Mrs. Gemstone, Andrea Westmoreland, Jeff Kern, Waiting For The Word, Abdulsalam Haykal, Donald Lee Pardue, roberthuffstutter, Dougtone, b1mbo, DonkeyHotey, paularps, kaatjevervoort, Simon Davison, BONGURI, Marion Doss, ex_magician, Bergfels, Brett Jordan, Tim Evanson, Art4TheGlryOfGod, Jeff Kubina, sskennel, DonkeyHotey, VirtKitty, Rodrigo_Soldon, resistealeau, MilitaryHealth, edalisse, Mervi Eskelinen aka tasselflower, Kaz Andrew, nitram242, Andrew Aliferis, uitdragerij, Paul J Everett, Joe Shlabotnik, Jeffrey, Harry Thomas Photography, Tim Evanson, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Northeast Region, Ron Cogswell, Nationalmuseet, escapedtowisconsin, Michael Cory, DonkeyHotey, timsamoff, mrbillt6, bnilsen, themonnie, valeehill, dichohecho, Waiting For The Word, technochick, cliff1066™, RTD Photography, Randy Wick, Enokson, Rising Damp, DonkeyHotey, Waiting For The Word, SteveNakatani, Fovea Centralis, Dru Bloomfield - At Home in Scottsdale, lisaclarke, Mulad, Roswell_UMC, Bengt Nyman, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, FreedomHouse2, SuperFantastic, Rory Finneren, Alaskan Dude, Larry1732, Mr. T in DC, ikewinski, Ivy Dawned, RLHyde, Waiting For The Word, heartajack, dyogi, dailymatador, David Paul Ohmer, Pleuntje, Leonard Bentley, midwestnerd, Donald Lee Pardue, DonkeyHotey, Oli-Oviyan, PatrikWalde, flamesworddragon, The U.S. Army, Zach Heller Photography, DonkeyHotey, EvinDC, Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections, Ronnie Macdonald, Gerry Dincher, The U.S. Army, Jeff Belmonte, DonkeyHotey, Texas Military Forces, jim.greenhill, Ben Sutherland, the Original Jeff Martin, Loz Flowers, CBP Photography, spbpda, OCVA, Hot Rod Homepage, brianholsclaw, dozodomo, quinn.anya, KOMUnews, wtstoffs, Leo Newball, Jr., lilli2de, dmott9, Justin A. Wilcox, sören2013, boboroshi, newagecrap, CoreBurn, simminch, ninahale, EvinDC, Mister Awesome, HeyRocker, beggs, Donald Lee Pardue